Texas Age Management - Aging in Women

Aging in WOMEN

In females, menopause not only signifies the end of a woman’s ability to have children, but it also purports the decline of these particular female hormones, which ultimately affect the entire endocrine system.

This menopausal process takes approximately three to five years. The early (transitional) phase is referred to as climacteric, also known as perimenopause. In her mid-30s, a woman’s hormone balance begins to shift. When it occurs and the level of that imbalance depends on a range of factors: heredity, age menses began, lifestyle, nutrition, stress, adrenal hormones, exercise and more.

In perimenopausal women, estrogen surges create additional effects, such as sleep disturbance, breast swelling or tenderness. For years, a woman may experience an irregular cycle of menses and consequential symptoms: diminished libido, fatigue, depression, headaches, inability to cope with stress, hot flashes, cognitive difficulty, itchy skin, joint pain and backache; fibrocystic and sagging breasts, uterine fibroids and endometriosis, reduced metabolism, morning sluggishness, unstable blood sugar, symptoms of hypothyroidism and other symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

There are a number of general side-effects that tend to occur as women enter menopause. Some may seem as temporary nuisances to “tough out”. However, the reality is more serious. Diminishing hormone levels result in changes, which show the effect of women’s physical and mental health as well as her prospects for vitality.

Menopausal changes affect the breasts, vagina, bones, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, cardiovascular system, skin, and energy levels. Women experience hot flashes and sweats followed by feeling cold and chilly until the body adjusts. Hot flashes are generally considered a direct result of decreasing estrogen levels. Hormone optimization can prevent (or relieve) hot flashes.
Vaginal dryness, itchy skin and urinary tract discomfort occur. As hormone levels decrease, walls of the vagina become thinner, dryer, less elastic and more susceptible to infection. This atrophy can also make intercourse uncomfortable, causing a woman to feel depressed and undesirable, sparking yet another round on the emotional battlefield. Some women experience incontinence while others become more susceptible to urinary tract infections.

Perimenopausal women tend to suffer sleep disturbances and fatigue. Not surprisingly, many of these symptoms go hand in hand. Struggling with frequent night sweats disturbs sleep. After awhile, fatigue engulfs a woman. She may feel anxious, become moody or even feel mentally and physically exhausted.

Perimenopausal women will tend to suffer from mood swings. The aftermath of hormonal imbalance is an emotional upheaval. Inability to sleep soundly, the battle of hot and cold sensations, fatigue, loss of sexual pleasure and depression snowballs into mood swings.

Traditional medical doctors will tend to treat menopause rather than the patient themselves. Many physicians don’t determine hormone levels but prescribe fixed dosages of artificial (non-human) hormones, such as Premarin which is made from horse urine. The fact remains, however, that every woman is different and each will experience this period of their life in a unique way. That’s why it is crucial to run a comprehensive series of tests before beginning any hormone replacement therapy.

HRT began in the 1940s and had been refined considerably over the past 60 years. Our experience shows estrogen and progesterone therapy will dramatically improve a woman’s quality of life, if performed in a clinical setting where therapeutic levels are monitored and dosing is adjusted accordingly. Unlike their synthetic counterparts, the hormones we use are created in a laboratory and use the same molecular structure as naturally occurring hormones produced in the body.

Cenegenics believes the benefits far outweigh the risks in hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy can:

Cenegenics embraces a comprehensive evaluation with periodic diagnostics. Your body is in a continual state of change, so your needs alter from time to time. Hormonal optimization therapy, hormone-regulation and nutrition, nutraceuticals and sound exercise in the right combination will help address these deficiencies.